Guardian Angel
by Kushinada-hime
Summary: Ordained by the heavens, Kuroko finds himself in his first assignment to a baby destined to be great. He knew this. And he watches him faithfully as the years pass by. But in order to fulfill what is predestined- is a sacrifice. This, he did not know... Kingdom AU!
1. Chapter 1: Guardian Angel

First story for Kuroko no Basuke, masters!

P.S. I do not own Kuroko no Basuke!

**Edited: 09/13/15**

* * *

_He is a well-known king, born in a kingdom so old and ancient. A kingdom bestowed with the title 'Emperor of Creation' and is the most powerful amongst the all the kingdoms far and beyond._

_A kingdom of passionate red…_

_A kingdom as passionate as her own king— whose name resounded throughout all the kingdoms with fear and respect. Let him be known as: _

_The mighty ruler._

_A fierce warrior._

_The master of the battlefield._

_A charismatic leader._

_The Emperor._

_He is known by one color – The only distinguishing factor that no other individual can have._

_Red._

_Red hair… red eyes… also rumored at times: a pair of red and golden eyes..._

_The king's name was Akashi Seijuro._

_Otherwise known as the Red King…_

* * *

It was the middle of the night. By that time, the palace was far from awake save for the soldiers doing their night patrol. One sky blue haired man rose from the shadows, slipping past a guard who was patrolling the hallways. The soldier didn't bat an eye or stop, continuing on his pace ignorant of what just occurred. The routine continued between the mysterious man and another batch of soldiers until he stopped in front of a door. Studying the door to verify if he was in the correct place, the said door opened softly surprising the man for a second. However as a familiar brunette emerged from the said door, he recomposed himself, leaving his face devoid of any emotion.

"So that's where you were." The brunette said quietly to him, tilting his head to the side. "Come now, he's waiting for you."

The sky blue haired man didn't say a word, entering the room, leaving the brunette to close the door behind him. The room was in a word…_red. _The walls were painted deep lush red, covering the room in a certain darkness as the light of the moon from the window lit up the room. There were attempts of drawings of certain animals and figures but in the end, they were drowned by the deep red color. _At least, not all furniture or the like was red_, he thought.

"So, first of all, I would like to apologize, Kuroko. You ended up on the roof instead of straight here." The man laughed weakly, scratching nape in an abashed manner.

"There is no need for an apology, Kiyoshi-sempai. I blame it on my inexperience of travelling." The sky blue haired man, Kuroko, responded.

"Maa, I didn't expect the strong wind to knock you off course." Kiyoshi laughed, slapping Kuroko's back none too gently. "You need to train more, Kuroko."

Kuroko inwardly winced from the contact but nevertheless kept a straight face. "That aside, Kiyoshi-sempai, I would like to meet him, please."

"Oh," Kiyoshi stopped. He grinned as he slung an arm around the smaller man's neck and pulled him towards a crib. "Meet the little fella."

What met curious blue eyes was another _red. _Kuroko stared curiously at the bundle placed inside the crib. A bundle of red, he noticed again. The baby seemed… _ordinary... _in the least. A far cry to what they have told him. The baby's skin was a little reddish, being born only hours earlier. Wearing a small white cap and small white gloves, he had a soft vulnerable aura around him as all babies have. And he slept peacefully, wrapped by a red blanket with beautifully embroidered golden winged edges. He almost blended with the red background if not for the whites he wore.

_I'm seeing an awful lot of reds today…_ he thought wryly.

Leaning forward, he watched as the baby shuffled in his sleep, eyes opening for a second. Sky blue eyes met startling red eyes. Kuroko's eyes glinted as he watched the baby _who being the baby he was,_ yawned again and proceeded back to sleep.

"This baby will be the king?" It was a statement, not a question.

Kiyoshi nodded with a smile, "Yes, that's him. Isn't he cute?" he silently cooed.

Kuroko blinked at him. "…ha."

The baby made a snort in his sleep as if to disagree.

"This child is predestined to be a mighty king. Amazing isn't he?" the brunette, too, leaned against the crib, patting the small bundle on the head. A sad smile appeared on his lips as he stared thoughtfully at the baby. "...It's your job to watch over him and guide him, Kuroko. Please do remember our warnings." He retracted his hand from the baby, looking at Kuroko with a serious eye. "Do you remember them?" The bluenette nodded. The brunette smiled brightly, ruffling his hair. "Good! Now if you ever have questions, just ask your sempai to come over and I'll help you, okay?"

Kuroko grimaced slightly, removing the offending hand from his hair. Now his hair was messy again, he thought with a sigh. "I am not a child, Kiyoshi-sempai. But…" he smiled, an ever rare smile towards the brunette. "I appreciate it. Thank you, sempai."

Satisfied with his answer, Kiyoshi smiled, ruffling the man's hair one last time as he walked towards the window. Pushing the windows open, he flashed him a gentle smile. "Good luck, Kuroko." He jumped out of the window. Seconds later, a great swoosh was heard and as Kuroko watched his sempai until he was nothing but a dot in the horizon. He returned to observing the baby, taking his time. _This small baby will be the greatest of all kings that will come to pass..._

He poked the baby's cheek_._ _Such a frail thing..._

The baby made a sound, annoyed (probably). Curiosity taking over him desire to know more about the frail baby, he touched the baby's small hand. _It's so small… _he noted as he played with it a little with his own. Abandoning the hand, he pinched the baby's cheeks gently, earning a squirm from the baby. He chuckled, a rare thing for him to do as well. He started stroking the baby's cheeks, amused of its softness under his touch. The sleeping baby stirred lightly and snuggle up to the source of warm heat even more.

"fuu…"

Kuroko smiled. He actually agreed with Kiyoshi's comment about the boy being cute. The baby was certainly cute! Pulling back his hand, the baby whimpered, feeling the loss of the warmth from the hand. "kuu…" the baby moaned in his babyish voice. Kuroko smiled amusedly, then wondered, are babies this perceptive about the sense of touch?

The baby frowned, shivering slightly. Kuroko pulled over the small blanket of the baby, carefully tucking him in. He spotted the open window, and mentally scolded himself for leaving it open. Children are vulnerable to diseases at a young age. As is for babies, he'd rather not have his charge sick so soon. It may be fatal.

Closing the window, he saw the break of dawn over the mountains. The night has been surprisingly short, he mused. Looking back, he watched the baby sleep so innocently on that red of a crib leaning on the window sill…

* * *

"_Kuroko Tetsuya." A young woman called, brown eyes searching for the said male. She had short caramel colored hair tucked to the left side of her head with two pins. She's the leader of a newly formed group, Seirin, Aida Riko._

"_Yes, Aida-san?" a voice spoke as sky blue eyes peered from behind a book. The said owner of the eyes set the book down on the table before turning his attention again to the girl. "Is there something you wish to tell me, Aida-san?"_

_Aida smiled, sparkles surrounding her as she did. The group who were in the room, shuddered. There was bound to be a bad news, they thought as it was never good news when she smiles like that. It was creepy and at the same time, made them anticipate the worst that could happen to them. "Guess what, Kuroko-kun!" Kuroko tilted his head in confusion. Ignoring the silence given by her group mate, Aida exclaimed happily, "We finally have a job!"_

…

"_Is that so? Great for you, Aida-san." Kuroko answered, monotonously but sincerely._

"_Oh, come on. Be happier than that, Kuroko! We finally have a job after a long wait you know!" said another brunette, Kiyoshi, one of his group mates, who slung an arm around Kuroko. A series of sighs filled the place as they sighed in relief._

_A black haired bespectacled guy shrugged. Hyuuga Junpei, the co-leader of Seirin, nodded thoughtfully, "Seirin was just newly formed. It is an honor that we are entrusted with a job by the higher ups at this early stage of our group. But I have an underlying doubt that this might be a trap that they have set up for us to disband in case we fail." Again, the group tensed. SO it was bad news after all!_

"_Don't be so negative, Hyuuga!" Kiyoshi smacked his friend playfully in the back, earning a glare from the bespectacled co-leader, "Besides this will be a good challenge!"_

_Aida nodded, "I agree with Kiyoshi. If it is a challenge they want, then Seirin will not back down!" A moment of silence ensued, but was broken out when cheers of agreement broke out in the room under Riko's dangerous sweet smile._

"_So… Riko," Kiyoshi cut in, finally removimg his arm from Kuroko's shoulders seeing as the later had a difficulty at the weight, "Kuroko is assigned to the job?"_

_Silence once again ensued with the exception of a few people who had open mouthed expressions and disbelief._

"_Maa, I'm sure Kuroko's very happy. After all, he's the one who was picked by the higher ups." Aida nodded in a motherly way._

"_EHHH?!" Kogenei Shinji, a member sputtered in disbelief, mulling over why his kouhai got a charge when he didn't get one yet. Others followed suit, albeit more discreetly. Aida ignored them and turned to Kuroko instead._

"_Me?" Kuroko asked, disbelief and surprise cracking his usual monotone voice. Aida nodded, mentally patting herself on the back, though she was partly disappointed that the later had retained his blank face despite his voice._

"_And the surprise doesn't just end there, Kuroko-kun. You will be the guardian of the newborn son of the king. He will be a very important figure in the future, they said, so you better make sure that he will be so. Because if you fail and bring shame into Seirin…"_

_Seirin gulped at the silent threat left hanging by the leader and eyed Kuroko pityingly. Kuroko nodded tensely…_

* * *

A wave of cries made him snap out of his musings. He frowned as the cries got louder. "What's wrong?" he asked, walking to where the baby was. The small baby continued to cry, making him want to cover his ears on stared helplessly (and a little panicky) at the baby. He didn't know what to do. It was true that he adored kids but he didn't know how to comfort them. He thought back on the lessons about children back at his school up in the skies but none of it struck a note about how to calm crying babies. He was internally panicking now.

"Sshhh…" he said quietly but that didn't seem to work. He tried making it louder but the crying just ensued. Holding back a grimace at his wasted efforts, he patted the baby's head instead. It was what Kiyoshi did a little while ago and it also seemed to him, the most sensible thing to do at the moment. It was what his father used to do when he was feeling down or upset. It always brought him calm. "Don't cry now, Akashi-kun…" he said as he sang a lullaby, raising his usual monotone voice to make it sweet. The cries died down, leaving a sniffing baby who was looking over Kuroko. Kuroko stopped momentarily, stunned as he stared back at the baby.

The baby was…_beautiful._ He had crimson locks paired with equally red eyes. It was strangely… _fitting _for the baby, Kuroko noticed.

"Sei-chan?" called a voice. Kuroko broke out of his stupor. He leaned away from the baby's crib, listening to the voices outside. Hurried footsteps were going its way towards the baby's room. The queen, Kuroko thought, was on her way. He had heard that the queen liked to take care of the baby herself, explaining the absence of a nanny. The royal chamber was just a room away. He gave the baby one last pat on the head. The baby stared, his own little tantrum forgotten. He rued going and leaving this little baby but he had to gather his bearings in his new situation first. Kuroko smiled.

_He will be the King one day… huh… _He can't help but feel honored. To able to be tasked of the job watching over such a beautiful baby... Akashi Seijuro.

White feathers floated on the air, dancing joyfully like little white fairies lighting the room. A single feather made its way down the crib, softly touching the baby's face before landing down next to it. Kuroko planted a kiss on the baby's forehead.

"A blessing from the heavens to you, Akashi-kun." The angel said.

He left the room, jumping out of the window just as the queen opened the room to find a very quiet baby who was starting to cry again…

* * *

Kuroko sat on the tree outside the baby's room. The sun was high up in the sky as he watched the queen cradle the baby to sleep. Gathering his bearings…what job could possibly have him watch the baby at close distance?

* * *

"_Kuroko-kun, one more thing before you go..." Kuroko stopped midway from his transportation. Kiyoshi stopped as well. He and Kuroko we're given tasks at the same time so he decided to drop by Kuroko's charge before going to his own charge._

"_What is it, Aida-san?"_

"_Do not show your true form to anyone, especially Akashi-kun. You must blend in and watch him from a far. Remember all your lessons about watching over someone. Do you understand?"_

"_Hai."_

* * *

_Blend in…_ Kuroko with his little presence had no difficulty. But he was troubled on what to do to be close to the baby. Maid? Easiest way, yes. He can transform into female to do so but…no. Just...no. Plain no, case closed. Butler can also do but then, butlers aren't that much famous in Rakuzan because one tried to assassinate the king in the past. His best places to land a job inside the castle would be a gardener, a cook, a page, a knight, etc. though he still much appreciated it if he can just blend in with the maids. With a shake of his head, he dismissed the thought of becoming a maid permanently. Becoming one of the gardeners might be the best option for him. The garden is the closest to the baby's room.

Applying for the job was easy, (not before enjoying the man's shock and manly shriek. Oh no, he's not a sadist. To him, it's just plainly amusing.) He was the only gardener in the palace. The _permanent _gardener, to say in the least. It was usually the maids who cleaned the garden once in a while so Kuroko is the true gardener among them. (As a person anyway.)

All the gardens inside the castle walls were surprisingly boring with only trees that are either half-dead, too small or too tall in size. Only a few were to be considered acceptable. The bushes were filled with overgrown weeds and vines that crept up the walls. The first time he saw it; he couldn't help but sigh as he compared the garden to the beautiful gardens up in the sky. The place needed maintenance dearly and he gathered that the royal family wasn't apt to being outside all the time. Not one to waste his time, he did weeded, trimmed and replanted— though _a little _might be **_a little too much _**on a normal person's dictionary. He had practically demolished most of the so-called garden and opted to plant a few seeds of flowers and some tree saplings and he reconstructed the whole place… The whole outcome was yet to be seen but he smiled to himself, satisfied with his first day's work.

As he entered the baby's room again that night, he was tired from the day's job. He peered down to the sleeping baby and strangely felt all his fatigue washed away. The thought of doing all this for someone was _warm_. The baby was asleep without his cap and this time, Kuroko made sure to close the window. The baby was beautiful, so innocent. Kuroko leaned on the crib, taking a better look on the baby. It was refreshing.

"Hello, Akashi-kun." He said softly. He was not the talkative type but he told the baby all the things he had done that day in the baby's gardens whilst stroking the baby's cheeks. "I hope you didn't mind what I did to your gardens though, Akashi-kun." A pause. "I really can't wait to see you grow…"

It looked absurd, talking to a baby. Kuroko strangely didn't mind. "Don't worry, Akashi-kun. I'll make the garden more attractive so that when you grow up and see it, it won't be boring anymore..."

The rest of the night went by with Kuroko, watching the baby, making future plans for the baby Akashi Seijuro…

* * *

After 5 yrs…

"My Prince! To where are you off to?" asked one of the maids. A young boy of barely five yrs. of age flinched at the sound of her voice, immediately abandoning the idea of closing his room as he let go of the door knob of his room he was innocently trying to close. _Busted_, as the boy heard a lot of times when a soldier finds him hiding behind some cupboards. A pair of red eyes stared guiltily at the maid as he stood, fidgeting and twiddling with his thumbs.

"Just going to get fresh air." He said. "if I may?" he added after an afterthought.

The maid smiled at him sympathetically. "Forgive me, my prince but your instructor will be arriving in an hour and the king asked us to keep you in your room till then."

The prince sighed. _What's another hour to wait?, _he wanted to ask. He pouted, his chubby cheeks puffing. The maid coughed at her hand, discretely avoiding his gaze as he gave her 'the look'. "Surely, my father wouldn't mind for a little air?" he asked.

"I'm afraid it would not be so, my Prince—"

"I can't?"

The maid was starting to get uncomfortable, clearing her throat again. The boy gave her a wide-eyed look, close to tears. It was almost crushing her will to **_not_** let the prince off today. _Ohhhh_, no. She let the prince off a few times already; it will not be so today. However, accompanied with tears that almost want to escape from those red eyes, making the prince cry itself is like a grave sin. (She still loves her life, thank you.) The wrath of the king could instantly make her jobless though and moreover banished from the kingdom. (Oh, she is overreacting and she knew it.) But disobeying the king's orders itself… she shuddered, not wanting to be punished. She gave the prince an apologetic look.

"Forgive me, your Highness. But I really cannot let you off today."

A chuckle echoed in the hallway, drawing the attention of the two. Taking in the new person, the maid paled as she was greeted with the flowing red locks and amused gold eyes of the Queen of Rakuzan. "Let him be, Shizuru." She said. The maid backed away with a bow as the queen approached turned to the young boy with a gentle smile on her face. Her golden eyes were playful as she regarded both of them. Her red hair hung loosely around her shoulders, reaching her mid back, the upper part tied in a half bun. Her dress was of the color of red with white sleeves, flowing fluidly with every move she does as she walked with grace. The maid, Shizuru, watched— captivated like any other servant would with the queen. "I see that you still cannot fully resist my son's trick, Shizuru?" the queen asked, amusement coloring her tone.

The maid bowed her head, embarrassed. "My apologies, Milady."

"Mou, it is not a trick, mother!" the young boy whined, "you always use it on father when you want something..." he mumbled, pouting to the side. The queen chuckled, regarding him amusedly. "Mou, Sei-chan~! It won't do you well to copy my ways, you know." she smiled. "Your father should be your role model. Come now, Sei-chan. You still have one good hour before your instructor arrives. Let's go get some air!" she held out a hand which the boy happily took.

"Yes, Mother!"

Shizuru frowned, protesting, "But Milady, his Majesty told us to—"

"Don't be such a party-popper, Shizuru~! Come, join us! I'll handle the king." The queen said with a wink. The maid discretely sighed.

_Well, that's Milady for you,_ she thought in resignation.

* * *

The boy stared in awe at the view before him. It was as if he just stepped inside a different part of the world as a magnificent garden rose before him. Bright red, white, violet, yellow and pink roses adorned the bushes arranged perfectly along the pathways that lead to a fountain. Then, spreading into a circle, around the place. A statue of an angel stood on top of the fountain and there was tea table set beside the fountain.

"Care for a tea, Sei-chan?" asked the queen as she made way towards the table. The boy followed and sat on one of the chairs.

"What is this place, mother?" he asked wide eyed as one of the maids poured out tea for the two.

She smiled at the maid and thanked her as she regarded her son's question. "What do you mean, Sei-chan? It's a garden, of course! It's a beautiful place, isn't it?" she chirped happily.

"I know it is a garden, Mother. What I mean is I've never seen this place before…"

The queen propped up her elbows on the table as she laced her fingers under her chin. "You are aware of the different gardens around the palace, right? This rose garden is the newest addition. Ah— Shizuku!" a maid stepped up, "Would you mind to call the dear king? Tell him, the queen wants him in the garden. I'm sure he won't mind for tea."

"As you wish, Milady."

The boy sipped on the tea, curiously watching his mother. "You called for Father?" he asked, "Why?"

The queen smiled sweetly, "Oh, you'll see, Sei-chan."

* * *

A small redhead ran across the garden, face flushed, laughing gleefully. Stopping in front of his mother, he dodged out of the way as a pair of hands stretched out from where he was before. The queen pouted and gave chase to the laughing boy, "Sei-chan! I'm going to catch you~"

"Nuh uh! Catch me if you can, mother!" the boy answered, dodging out of the way from the woman, his mother's arms, laughing with glee. Looking closely, the two were similar except for the woman's eyes that were of the color gold. Akashi, failing to jump out of the way, he was grabbed by his mother on the waist and the two fell on the ground, laughing.

"Gotcha!" dirt immediately clung to their clothes but no one minded. She tickled the boy under his arms and his sides. "M-Mother! S-s-s-s-top… Haha.."

"Hmm? Was that the wind I heard? What do you think, dear? Did you _hear_ anything?" she asked the man sitting peacefully on their tea table. The man had brown hair and powerful red eyes. He had a soft expression on his face as he watched the mother and son.

"F-Father! H-h-help m-m-me!" Akashi called.

Forcing a straight face, the king said. "No. I didn't, dear."

"I see, it must have been my imagination then."

"Mother!"

The boy flailed from his mother's arms and the king laughed along the sides. "Release me at once, Mother!"

"I don't want to~ how do you ask a favor from someone, Sei-chan?"

"Release me…" the boy pleaded, tilting his head to look at his mother with his puppy eyes. While slightly stunned, the queen remained holding the boy. "No, Sei-chan. Say 'please' first."

The boy pouted stubbornly. The queen continued to tickle the boy but he stubbornly flailed.

"Say 'please' first, Sei-chan!"

"Noo~! Pft… hahaha… stop!.. haha… s-stop .. m-mother!"

"Not until you say 'please', Sei-chan~!"

The king shook his head with a sigh, knowing the boy's stubborn streak. The mother and son continued on for a few more minutes before the king finally decided to step in. He scooped the boy from his mother, holding him in his arms. "I think that's enough, my dear."

"Aww…" the queen whined, reaching for the boy again when the king dodged the boy out of the way.

"Seijurou." The king called, giving his son a stern but kind gaze, "it is not nice to just order around people." He set the boy down on the ground. Akashi gave him a strange look. "Why Father? You do it all the time."

"Well then, Seijurou. How would you feel if you were ordered around too?"

"I will feel… irwi- ir- irritated? Was that the correct word?" the small redhead asked innocently.

"Oh how cute~! Darling, our Sei learned a new word again!" the queen squealed in the background. The king shook his head with a sigh but he himself was smiling at his son's achievement. "Yes, that's why it is important to say 'please' when asking someone something, Sei-chan. And it is also important to say 'Thank you' afterwards."

Akashi, confused, looked up to the king with a questioning gaze. The king smiled gently. "While I do it all the time, I say 'Thank you' afterwards, Seijurou. It is always good for a king to be humble. And you, who will be king one day, will have to learn to be humble as well."

Still uncertain, Akashi could only nod. "Hai, mother, father. I apologize." The queen chuckled, seeing her boy pouting for being scolded, "Your angel will also be sad if you are bad, Sei-chan."

"Angel?"

"Now, now." The king interjected, "don't tell me you are telling him of that story again…"

"Now, now." The queen copied, smiling. "There's no harm in telling him." The queen smiled fondly. "Angels are the ones sent by the heavens to watch over us, Sei-chan. _Guardian angels, _as many call them. Each of us has one. They are happy when we do good but when we do bad things, they are sad."

"Why are they sad when we do bad things?" Akashi asked.

"Because bad things we do comes from the evil angel, their nemesis."

"Evil angel?" Akashi frowned, "But I thought there was only one angel?" the child asked, confused.

"No. There are two. The evil angel and the good angel." the queen explained patiently. "If you do good, the good angel is happy and it makes the bad angel frustrated. If you always do good, your angel will always help you in any form. They'll always be there for you, more than your father and me."

The boy's eyes sparkled with curiosity and awe as he looked up to her, bouncing on his spot. "Can I meet him? Can I meet him?"

The queen chuckled. "Well, you can. They are invisible to us but if they want, they will show themselves willingly."

"Father," the child turned to the king, "if I say 'please', will the angel show himself to me?"

The king looked inscrutable for a moment before he answered, "Well, it depends." he said, deciding to humor his son's question. "Why don't you try? Though I don't think he will show…" he whispered the last part, making the queen elbow him on his side. The king winced slightly.

"Try it, Sei-chan! Mother will be cheering for you~!"

The king gently pushed the child forward into the garden, then turned back to his tea. He had no belief for such matters and he'd rather the boy to make his own opinions about it as well. Akashi looked around, heaving a deep breath. Red eyes closed, his hands clasped together in the form of praying, "Angel-san," he whispered, "if you are around, will you please show yourself to me?"

.

.

.

Minutes passed, and Akashi was becoming nervous by the second. What if he doesn't appear because he was bad? But he did say please so he was going to show right? Right?

A gentle breeze blew against the boy. Opening his eyes slowly, he settled on a figure before him. Opening his eyes fully, sky blue eyes met red eyes. Kuroko stood in front of him with a gentle expression on his face. The child broke into a smile, "Hurray! I met you, angel-san!" he cheered. Kuroko gave the child a little smile, crouching in front of the child. For a moment, the small redhead saw plush white wings unfurl and white feathers dancing in the air before he was face to face with a sky blue haired man with sky blue eyes, a ghost of a proud smile on his lips. The said angel pressed their foreheads together.

"A blessing from the heavens to you, Akashi-kun"

* * *

The boy had a bright smile as he ran to where his parents were. "Mother! Father! I met Angel-san!"

The king looked surprised as as the boy threw himself on him. Gently, he scooped him up in his arms , "Really now, Seijurou?"

"Hai!" the boy answered cheerily, "He told me something about the blessings from the heavens given to me though he immediately went poof!"

"Poof?" asked the king incredulous.

"Hai!" Akashi grinned, "He promised me I will see him again then he went poof! There were swishy sounds and white wings came out from his back!" he spread out his arms, "they were wiiiide like this, Father! And then he flew away!"

"Really? That's wonderful, Sei-chan!" the queen piped in, turning to the king, eyes alight with amusement, "For good measure in case you didn't understand my dear king, 'poof!' means he disappeared." She whispered with a giggle. The king shot her an I-know-that look.

"Dear..." The queen ignored him, listening to her son rambling about his adventure. The king set the boy back on the ground. The boy didn't even notice as he continued chatting with his mother. The king made his way towards the tea table again and sat down. Meeting an angel? Certainly, the boy must be imagining. His son is not one to lie for he never encouraged such deeds. Nimble fingers picked up his cooling tea and he drank when someone suddenly spoke.

"Good day, your Highness."

The king almost spilled his drink. With a cough, he looked disapprovingly at the direction of the voice which was surprisingly beside him. He was a young man, he noted. He had sky blue hair and sky blue eyes, and a weak presence around him. He had no qualms the man wouldn't have been able to sneak up on him if he had the presence of a normal person. The king raised a brow, curiosity playing in his eyes. "I apologize if I startled you, your Highness." the man spoke in an equally quiet voice. The king waved it off, calmly picking up his tea again.

"How long have you been there?"

"Just now, your highness."

The king nodded. He took a sip from his tea and set it down again, "So is there something you needed to tell me...what's your name, young man?"

"Kuroko, your Highness." the man said, kneeling on one knee. The king nodded approvingly.

"Kuroko." he addressed him, "So what is it that you seek my attention for?"

"Forgive me but I have none, your Highness. This servant has only noticed that your Highness seemed displeased. Is there something unsatisfactory with the garden?" Kuroko asked. The king smiled, amused, at the man's bluntness.

"I take it you are the gardener?" he asked.

"That I am, your Majesty."

The king let his eyes room over the garden once again, and chuckled, setting down his cup. "I find no fault in your work, Kuroko-kun. The garden is simply beautiful to find any faults in it." He answered honestly. He debated with himself for a moment before he spoke again. "I am merely concerned about an entirely different matter..."

"I see..."

Silence ensued as the king seemed lost in thoughts and Kuroko didn't dare interrupt him. Finally after a long while, he spoke again. "Kuroko-kun, do you believe in angels?" Unbidden, a small smile crept up Kuroko's lips.

"Yes, your Highness. Do you not believe in them as well?"

The king looked thoughtful, "I do not believe in them," he answered, "but once upon a time when I was at Seijurou's age, I did." His face softened, "Listening to my queen and my son talk about it, it stirs a memory long forgotten. They show themselves when they want to, don't they?" he asked with a slight smile.

"I believe so, your Highness."

The king chuckled, "Ah forgive me. I think my fatigue is catching up to me…" he closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. "It is not too late isn't i..." His eyes widened as Kuroko smiled gently at the king, white wings visible on his back.

"Do not worry, my king. Your Guardian angel is still with you. He always will be, just as I will always be with your son, Akashi Seijurou..." his voice faded as he disappeared from the king's sight.

The king was left staring at the spot where Kuroko just stood a while back, disbelief and shock marring his features. Was that..? He was still frozen in shock when the queen called out to him.

"Darling?"

"Father!" Akashi called, jumping on his father's lap. This seemed to break the spell as the king looked at his son, then to his queen.

"Dear... I think Seijurou's angel just came and went poof..."

* * *

"Do you think it was wise showing yourself to them?" Koganei asked Kuroko who was sitting comfortably in a tower, watching the family.

Kuroko turned to face him, a ghost of a smile on his lips. "I have no regrets, sempai."

Koganei hummed, shrugging. "Maa, as long as you don't show your _true _form. Riko will have your head if you do, I suppose." Koganei must have misheard it but _Kuroko_ laughed softly. When he turned to check if he was right but Kuroko had his usual pokerface in place. He shrugged yet again.

"I know, sempai. But I'm happy as long as Akashi-kun is happy."

"That sounds weird you know."

"How is it weird, sempai?"

"You sound like a pedo."

Kuroko faced him with his usual pokerface. Is it him or his eyebrow was slightly raised? "I'm not, sempai." With a cough, Koganei laughed nervously, slapping his kouhai in the back. His voice was scary!

"Man, it's just a joke!"

"…ha."

* * *

**A/N: And that's a wrap! After endlessly editing this over and over again, I finally had enough and decided to post it. I thank those who reviewed my FT story. I'm so happy you like it and I apologize if I'm taking too long to update.**

** Anyways, reviews are appreciated and please correct me if there are any mistakes (like grammar, etc). Itterashai~!**


	2. Chapter 2 : Yellow King

_**Hello again, everyone! I'm so happy a lot of you liked this story. Here is chapter 2!**_

_**Disclaimer: Kuroko no Basket is not mine.**_

* * *

**_Chapter two: Yellow King_**

_Standing beside the Red King were four other kings. With mighty power and glory, they stood on equal ground as him. Each was exceptionally gifted in specific areas especially in combat._

_A prodigal archer, fast and deadly, he never misses his target…_

_A master swordsman who can bring down 10 men easily by himself with incredible agility and skill…_

_A warrior who specializes in shields and has an impenetrable defense as he is deadly with swords… _

_A copycat swordsman who can copy all skills perfectly except for his fellow kings…_

_Down to the Red king who excelled in all areas more than the four combined._

_Together, they were 5 individuals who surpassed the greatest of all kings and become the greatest. The strongest of all._

_A Generation of True Kings. A Generation of Miracles that can only come in a hundred years._

_Story indicates that the first to stand by the Red King's side was the Yellow King. Calm and collected, a jack of all trades when it comes to defense and attack. He led his kingdom into countless victories, helping out the Red King once in a while._

_Known for his blond hair and gold eyes, his name was Kise Ryota._

_Otherwise known as the Yellow King…_

* * *

'_Swordplay, huh…'_

A young boy sat by the window ledge of the castle tower, red eyes watching the commotion on the ground below him with curiosity. Metal to metal clashed as two swords came in contact. Sparks flew and a vibrating sound echoed as the second knight's sword hit the other's shield with a loud _Bang! _startling some birds perched on nearby trees. The first knight's sword sailed overhead the other as the second knight ducked the sword. With a war cry, shields bashed against each other. This process repeated until the swordsman had finally brought down the other. A triumphant smile graced the boy's lips as if he was the one who had won. His attention flitted away to the other side of the training ground. Arrows sailed in the air, fast and sharp, hitting its target with accurate precision. In another part of the field, a series of glimmering silver flew and embed themselves on the dummies. It took a moment for the boy to realize they were daggers. Not far from the dagger throwing people were lancers. Thrusting their spears fluidly back and forth, it made the boy awed how they were like a part of their bodies with how none of the spears looked awkward on them.

A knock startled him, jerking his attention away from the ground. Just as he said, 'Come in,' the door opened, revealing a blob of flowing red hair.

"Sei-chan~!" The redhead found himself being enveloped in an embrace. He was instantly lifted from the ground and he found himself clutching whoever was lifting him. "Oof!" the said person exclaimed, "You're heavier again, Sei-chan~!"

Recognizing the voice, the boy looked up to find gold orbs looking at him. "Mother," he said in relief. His mother smiled and spun around, spinning the boy with her in the process. "Mother!"

The queen laughed as she set him down on the ground. The boy clutched a part of her dress for a moment, steadying himself as he waited for the dizziness to subside. When it finally subsided, he looked up at his mother again, "Mother, please do not do that again next time." He frowned. The queen smiled apologetically.

"Maa, Sei-chan was so defenseless! If I was a kidnapper, I would have already spirited you away!"

The boy shook his head with a sigh, as he took her hand and kissed it lightly. Looking up, he said, "Well, I knew it was you from the sound of your voice and your footsteps when you entered, Mother." He smiled. And as if remembering something, the queen blushed and smacked his arm slightly.

"Mou, two years and Sei-chan already feels like a man. You have just said exactly what your father told me at a dance when I was still a princess." She squealed girlishly before regaining her composure. She cleared her throat and studied him for a moment. "But I still like my little Sei-chan~!"

"Hai?"

….

"Mou! You used to answer me with 'Yes, Mother!' cheerily and now you put that—" she pinched his cheeks, "serious cute face on me! Nooo~ Give me back my Sei-chan~!"

"Stwop uit, Mwother!" the boy protested, trying to pry of her fingers.

"Not until you say 'please'!"

"Plwease stop uit, M-mother!"

…

…

With outmost disappointment on her face, the queen let him go. "Mou," she released him, pouting childishly, "you're no fun, Sei-chan~"

The redhead, Akashi Seijuro, now 7 yrs. old, sighed in relief, rubbing his cheeks. "I am not a subject for your fun, Mother..."

The queen ignored him, sighing dramatically to the side, muttering things like '_Sei-chan is so mean—' Ah, I want my little baby… Sei-chan~ Come back!' _and so on. Akashi sighed softly, completely used to his mother's ramblings. He tugged the hem of her dress.

"If I may ask so, Mother, what brings you here at the moment?"

"Oh yes, I almost forgot." She clasped her hands together, mimicking a child excited for a gift. It did occur to Akashi that she seemed more childish than him. And ever so little, her smile seemed to be a little wider than before. "We are expecting a visitor in a week's time."

"A-n-d…" the boy said slowly, finally guessing why her smile was a little wider, "you want me to…?"

"Stop playing pranks on the servants, disrupting their works of course!"

Akashi looked away guiltily. "So… you did know—"

"That it was you?" she put a hand on her hip, shaking her head, "Tsk, tsk, tsk. There is nothing mother doesn't know, Sei-chan~!"

If ever, Akashi pouted, "And you…?"

"No." the queen answered, fully knowing the question left hanging. "While at first, it was a charming prospect to see Sei-chan do _clever—"_

"Was that sarcasm just now, mother?"

"— pranks such as putting a bowl of flour just above the door with a makeshift bar that fell on your instructor; a snake (that I don't even know where you took) on the vase in the kitchen that frightened an innocent maid who was changing the flowers; a nail on the maid's dress against the carpet wood; strolling in the middle of the night dressed as a reaper; and many others that the servants have a new nickname for you—"

"Which is?"

"—and I expect you not to hinder them even at the least this week, Sei-chan~! Your father is most displeased about the constant complaints from the servants. Tell me though Sei-chan: what brought about this attitude on you lately?" Akashi opened his mouth to answer when the queen gave him a sharp look. "And I expect nothing but the truth, Sei."

Grimacing at the name that his mother uses when she is completely serious, he stared at the floor, shifting from foot to foot. It was kind of unfair somehow though. His mother didn't answer any of his questions at all!

"It was the assignment my instructor gave me. And— yes, I am not lying, mother. So stop giving me that look.— The assignment was about feelings of a person. How they react when it comes to love, patience, fury, anger, sadness and all sorts of emotions you could see when you are with a person. The task was to discern on how to read a person's feelings since we are discussing basic etiquette when speaking and how to read the mood. Since you and father were busy and I didn't want to ask." He scoffed to the side, "It would have not been fun if I asked because I deprived myself of the chance to find out! So… I kind of did pranks to see… that's all." He finished lamely, finally standing still.

The queen nodded, "I understand but did it ever occur to you to ask other people excluding me and your father?"

The boy shook his head.

"Then how about reading books?"

The boy frowned, "It would all be the same, Mother. I would be depriving myself of the chance to find out."

A terse silence went on as the boy waited for his mother's verdict—or what felt like a verdict in coming. Finally, after multitudes of what seemed like minutes or seconds probably, the queen finally spoke, "I understand but it isn't nice to do that to other people, Sei-chan. Make sure you do apologize to them afterwards, okay?"

Smiling widely, the boy's eyes lit up. "If that's your verdict, Mother, then I will be glad to do so."

The queen noddedthen patted him on the head. "I see the fault is also on our side as your parents. We unconsciously left you without a playmate. It isn't right that you do not have someone of your age to bond with. Geez, that's why I told you to slow down from growing, it makes me forget that my Sei-chan is still a little boy~"

"A playmate, mother?" He didn't have any playmates except for his mother and the maids who sometimes came to play with him. Most of his time was spent with lessons from his instructor or by reading his time away in his father's room. He didn't understand though why he would need one now. Everything was perfectly fine for him.

"Well," the queen clasped his hands into hers, "I have stayed far too long. I will tell of this matter to the king so in the meantime, find yourself something to occupy with. There are a lot of things to do, Sei-chan, not just pranking. You can help with the activities around if you want. It'll be fun!"

* * *

'_A playmate, is it?' _ Kuroko thought as he straightened himself from leaning on the wall. True enough, the boy doesn't have anyone he can call playmate as he was but holed in the tower with his instructor or in his father's room, reading books.

_Certainly, he needs a change of routine, _he mused as he wistfully played in his head the memories of the prince's pranking…

* * *

_**Prank 1**_

_The redhead immediately sat on his desk when he heard footsteps coming his way. Willing his regal/poker face, he sat, trying to keep his smirk from his face. The door opened, revealing his instructor, a bespectacled man who wore long robes like a scholar and looked like he was in his early 20's. The boy stiffened, waiting with a barely suppressed smirk._

_Not so soon, the said man was covered in flour._

_Just as the bowl fell, Kuroko held it suspended in the air for a moment before releasing, lessening the supposed impact on the instructor. Nevertheless, the instructor was red-faced and furious. Akashi was having a hard time containing his laughter._

"_Prince Seijuro! What in blazes were you planning to do dumping this—" he pointed to his head which was covered in white, "flour on me?!"_

_Contain._

_Contain._

_._

_._

_._

_._

_The boy burst out laughing, clutching his stomach as another wave of laughter echoed in the classroom. The teacher looked shocked then turned to exasperated. Akashi stopped for a moment, looking at his teacher again. He grinned at him._

_And laughed._

_Kuroko on the sides, sighed, shaking his head._

* * *

_**Prank 2**_

_It was another one of those days with the perfect weather. Kuroko just finished his work in the garden (which really didn't even take a day) and as usual, went to the castle to check on his charge. Then frowning visibly as he watched as Akashi held in hand a sack that he __**was**__ sure, he took from the garden. He remembered stowing away that sack somewhere secluded… _

_Nevertheless, he had been sure he had bound the creature's mouth before putting it in that sack. Otherwise, he would have already snatched the sack from the boy's hand a long time ago._

_He was curious as to why the boy had taken it though. Was it for study perhaps? He had a tingling sensation that it wasn't for that though. Was it perhaps for…?_

…

…

…

…

_He knew he shouldn't have thought of it._

_The maid stumbled backwards, shaking with fear as the snake rose from the vase, swaying a dance of death. The rope he had tied to the creature's mouth was still there but even without it, the maid crawled backwards with fear._

_How is it that after three hours of taking his eyes off the boy, the boy had already found mischief?! Although his face was still _blank blank blank, _he sighed. The snake was harmless, he knew that, even with those swaying movements it's doing to frighten the innocent maid who was just changing the flowers._

_He searched for the boy's location and found him hidden behind a table just across the room, watching with wide eyes. Relieved, Kuroko turned towards the snake and spoke to it discretely._

_The snake recoiled but stubbornly stayed, making Kuroko stare/glare at it. "Return." _

…

_The snake stared at him. After a while, it slowly returned to the vase._

_Looking around, he found the maid fainted on the ground and the guard had just come in with a sword. The man intended to kill it when Akashi moved from his hiding spot and stopped him._

"_Wait. Do not kill it here. The blood will smear the tiles."_

_The guard obeyed and instead dumped the snake back on the sack and went away. After a while, Kuroko found Akashi jotting down notes, all the while mumbling._

"_So that was fear… interesting…"_

_The maid grunted, slowly coming to her consciousness. Akashi turned and smiled as he saw the confused look on the maid's face._

_And Kuroko sighed._

* * *

_**Prank 3**_

_The next day, Kuroko found the boy again under a table beside a maid who was standing there, watching the construction workers who were working on the garden. Surprisingly, the boy himself held a small hammer in hand and a nail._

_Tack!_

_Tack!_

_The sound outside bounced throughout the walls and it finally dawned on Kuroko what the boy was trying to do._

_Tack!_

_The nail sunk a little and the boy frowned a little. He raised his hammer…_

_Tack!_

_The nail sunk deeper.._

_Tack!_

_Deeper…_

_It repeated until the nail was stuck enough to the wood. Seeing as the maid intends to move, Akashi retreated under the table. Just as he did so, Kuroko bent down immediately. Muttering a low 'sorry, Akashi-kun' under his breath (he was going to waste his hard work for his 'prank' though he also muttered a sorry for the maid. He wasn't allowed to interfere directly with his charge's actions, mind you), he loosened the nail._

_Instead of being thrown outright, the maid stumbled a little almost falling face down on the ground. She fell on her butt. Just as Kuroko expected (though he still felt guilty). "Ouch!"_

_She moved to examined her dress and found it torn from the impact. Seeing a nail lying innocently on the ground she grumbled, muttering low curses under her breath. She intended to stand up when she saw red eyes peering at her from under the table._

"_Seijuro…sama?"_

"_So that's frustration…" the boy muttered, jotting down notes. Smiling at the maid who looked at him horrified, he said, "You sure do know a lot of colorful words, nee-san!"_

"_S-Seijuro-sama, please do not tell the queen!" Knowing the queen who said 'I-don't-want-my-oh-so-innocent-Sei-chan-learning-any-bad-words-or-else-you-lose-your-job' to all servants, Kuroko muttered another apology. He was still going to make sure the queen wouldn't find out and hope for the best Akashi-kun wouldn't even remember half of those words. Heck, even he didn't want the boy spewing out words of profanity. Not his 'so innocent Akashi-kun'…_

_Though that sounded a bit almost like the queen…_

"_Oh, but I must tell mother what I learned today! I ditched my teacher today and I have to say something to mother!"_

_What? Akashi ditched class?_

_And Kuroko almost wanted to face palm. What else did his charge do during the time he wasn't watching?_

"_B-but Seijuro-sama!"_

_And Akashi giggled._

_Kuroko sighed._

* * *

Kuroko tried to keep the grimace from his face as he remembered the latest of all Akashi's pranks…

* * *

**Prank 5!**

_It was a chilly night and for one reason or another, Kuroko's charge seems to be awake. Kuroko thought the child was just chilly and followed him as he went out of his room. But disturbing as it is… why was the boy wearing his black blanket around himself?_

'_If anyone sees him…' _

_He almost faced palmed when a maid who was checking the halls screamed._

"_GRIIM REAPEEEER!"_

_Red eyes peered from through the black blanket and COINCIDENTALLY, a window was open and the wind rushed in adding more drama to his grim reaper like appearance._

_The maid screamed._

"_AAAAAAHHHHHHH!"_

_As the maid ran away, Akashi laughed._

_The last laugh will always be his, it seems._

_And Kuroko— his sighs…_

_Sigh._

* * *

Kuroko sighed for the nth time, following the boy to the kitchen. Following his mother's suggestion, the boy decided to help around, finally not thinking of pranks _in the meantime_.

_And I just hope he stays that way for a while…_ he thought, as he flew outside the window and perched on a tree so he wouldn't get in the way inside (people kind of went right through him most of the time but it was never a pleasant feeling so.. yeah. He didn't want to get in the way instead)

Speaking of trees, he had just noticed he unconsciously planted a tree to every window where the boy mostly stays. Like a tree outside the boy's bedroom (that was a given), a tree outside the north tower where the boy and his instructor had their lessons (though sometimes they had lessons under that very tree on Akashi's insistence), a tree outside the King's office, etc.

Lost in thought though, Kuroko didn't notice Akashi dumping the vase water outside the window, earning a yelp from a poor creature outside...

Which is unfortunately him.

Sigh.

* * *

A young blonde ran in the hallway, face brimming with a wide smile. Finally… Finally he was given a chance. Oh joy!

He can finally go out the castle walls and have an adventure. Oh… how he wanted to do that! He was getting sick of staying in the palace, listening to his instructor repeating the same lessons he had already grasped. He was a quick learner and he didn't have trouble understanding most of his lessons. It was a problem of conduct that he wasn't able to grasp yet. But! He was getting sick of the repeating process over and over again!

Taking a quick turn, he finally skidded to a halt in front of two big doors. Panting, he pushed open those big doors.

"Father!"

A man with equally blonde hair looked up from his papers, brown eyes looking at him with surprise which quickly turned into a small smile.

"Yes, Ryota?" he said, gently setting aside his paperwork, before lacing his fingers under his chin. The boy grinned.

"Father, I heard you are going somewhere. Can I go with you? –ssu" the boy asked.

The king smiled, a little mischievously before answering. "No."

The boy protested almost immediately. "Father! Please take me with you! –ssu!" he bellowed, latching himself on his father. The man grimaced slightly as the boy tugged him whining."Faaather!"

The king sighed, holding in the urge to scratch his blonde hair. 'I_t is an unbefitting act for a king.' _as his queen always reminded him. He turned to his son, picking him up with ease.

'_Damn. He's become heavier again.' _He mentally said before his consciousness scolded him again. '_A king doesn't curse!' _A voice that sounded suspiciously like the queen's voice...

He internally shuddered. Setting aside the queen's strictness when it comes to manners and speech (he shuddered again), he turned to his son who was constantly whining in his ear as he carried him. _Good thing the queen isn't here, _he thought. Or else she would be lecturing the both of them. He stood up, making his way to the balcony.

"Now, Ryouta, pray tell me why you want to go with me?" he asked, shushing the child.

"Because I want to! –ssu!" the boy whined.

"Yes, but do you know where I'm going?"

"To another kingdom!–ssu" answered the boy enthusiastically

"And what do I plan to do there?"

"To make a visit! –ssu" He twitched slightly. Where did he get his loudness from? Him? Or the queen?

Hm.

…

Okay, Ryouta got it from him alright.

"Stop with the '-ssu's', Ryouta." He opened the door.

"Hai! –ssu"

He grimaced slightly as the winds blasted at them full force. He held the boy's shoulder's in case he falls. "Ryouta, stop adding '-ssu' at the end of your sentences. It's unbefitting for a prince."

Okay, now the last part sounded like what the queen would say.

The boy pouted, "Mou! You sound like mother, Father."

"Yeah.. I thought so…" he muttered absently, looking over the balcony ledge. "So, Ryouta." He started, holding the boy by his shoulders again as another blast of wind blew at them. It seems a storm is brewing somewhere. He turned his attention to the boy again, studying him for a moment. He looked like the very replica of him that it made him proud. "How old are you again, Ryouta? 6 or 7?"

"I'm seven! –ssu"

"Seven, eh? Well, I think you might be able to understand what I'm going to say then. Unless you have been ignoring your instructor and learned nothing." He smirked.

"How rude, Father! I do listen to my instructor! –ssu" the boy protested.

The king chuckled, "Very well, I shall hold to your words then. I am indeed making a visit to another kingdom. The Kingdom of Rakuzan. You have heard of it from your instructor, yes?"

"Etto…" the young blonde scrunched his brows together, thinking deeply, to which the king smiled. He even inherited his thinking pose! Imagine the look on the queen's face when— ehem. He quickly shook his head, clearing all thoughts away. It won't do well to tease the queen…

"Sensei said Rakuzan is the strongest kingdom on the land." His eyes sparkled as realization dawned on him, "Sugoi! So you're visiting the strongest kingdom, Father?! –ssu"

"Yup." The king said, patting the boy's head. "I'll be going to make an alliance with the king there."

"What is an alliance? –ssu" the boy said, titling his head to the side, showing confusion.

"Well, in simpler terms, I'm going to make 'friends' with the king. Do you get what I mean?"

The boy's turned into an 'o' shape as he marveled about this. "Then please take me with you! –ssu" he said excitedly. He almost fell from the balcony if the king didn't hold him. The king was about to answer when a cough interrupted him.

He slowly turned his head and saw the queen, looking disapprovingly at him? Or at the boy?

Or ultimately, at the both of them.

He just had the feeling that it was both of them. He set the boy into the ground, straightened his back and faced the queen.

"My queen," he kissed the queen's hand. The queen smiled. She curtsied gracefully, her blonde hair cascading from her shoulders as she bowed her head. The king nodded in approval.

"May I ask what displeases you, my queen?"

"Nothing, sire." She answered, sending a glare to him. He flinched slightly. "I just don't like how you put our boy in the balcony ledge, what if he falls off when you're not looking?" before the king could answer, the queen spoke again turning to the boy, "And Ryouta."

The queen beckoned him forward. She crouched down as the boy tip toed as little to kiss her cheek.

"Yes, mother?"

"What have I taught you about asking permission, Ryouta?" her brown eyes were gentle but her tone was strict. The king silently recoiled in the background, holding in the urge to scratch his head again. The boy looked away uneasily. "Look at me, Ryouta." the boy complied albeit a little scared. "Now, how do you ask your father?"

"I will pay tribute and state my request. –ssu"

"Good. Just quit adding those '-ssu' and you'll be fine." The queen smiled, "Now go and ask him properly." She kissed his forehead. "Mother will be behind you." The boy nodded.

With a straight back, he walked towards the king. The king watched him expectedly. The boy stopped and bowed then knelt. "My king, may I state a request?"

"Shoot." The queen glared at him, "I- I mean, you may." The king said, nervously.

The boy raised his head, looking up the king. "May I be given the permission to accompany you on your trip, Father? –ssu."

The queen sighed at the '-ssu' to which the king smiled amusedly.

"I'm afraid I can't permit you to come with me, Ryouta." the boy looked ready to jump and cling to him again so he hastily added, "Who will accompany your mother while I'm absent if you come with me?"

"But…" the boy pinned his gaze on the ground dejectedly.

"I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself, my king." The queen interjected. "I propose you take Ryouta with you. I heard the King of Rakuzan has a child of the same age as our boy." The boy's eyes sparkled. _Literally, _at the mention of another boy at his age "It would also establish good relations with the king seeing our children friends. It is also for Ryouta's future as Crown Prince."

The king fluctuated between the queen and the boy's gaze. He studied the matter for a minute before the boy's pleading gaze made him agree. The boy shot up, clinging to the king's waist happily. It took another minute for the king to calm him down before he turned to the queen who was smiling serenely at the both of them.

"Are you sure you'll be fine while I'm gone?" he asked worriedly.

"Yes, my king. You know me," she grinned girlishly before she slipped her serious face again, flushing a little. The king chuckled, shaking his head with a smile.

"So… when are you going?" the queen asked.

"The trip takes three days by carriage so I think I'd be best to go tomorrow at dawn to avoid detection as well."

"Of course…"

* * *

A man with dark hair, stood stoically outside, perched on a branch of a tree, his gaze calculating on the family who were happily chatting. Oh really, _happy _even with the woman scowling at something her husband said and the boy equally saying something that annoyed her more. '_Well, happy in terms of that maybe._' he thought as the woman now seemed angry and smacked the father and son who laughed in turn. He shook his head.

"So, the loud brat is my charge?" he asked instead. His companion, who was perched on the branch opposite his, chuckled lightly.

"You make it sound as if it's a curse, Kasamatsu." His companion said. The man with dark hair, Kasamatsu, rolled his eyes.

"I don't like loud brats." He answered. Kiyoshi laughed.

"Maa, maa. Don't say that. You'll come to like him, I'm sure." He said encouragingly in which Kasamatsu gave him a 'no-way' look and scoffed. Kiyoshi shrugged. "Maa, if they are going to Rakuzan anyway, you'll be sure to meet Kuroko."

"Who's that?"

"Someone I know. Maybe he'll even help you."

"Che. Help me in what way? I'm a veteran when it comes to being a guardian angel. I don't need anyone's help."

Kiyoshi smiled enigmatically. "That's for me to know and for you to find out."

_**Chapter end…**_

* * *

_**That's another wrap! Kise is here~ Was the chapter good or bad? Please leave a review~! :D  
**_


	3. Chapter 3: Seeing Angel Part 1

_**A/N:**_

_**Aha. Two months late chapter. I am very sorry. I've been distracted... a lot.**_

_**Well, hope you like this chapter.**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroko no Basuke**_

* * *

_**Chapter 3: Seeing Angel part 1**_

A man under the guise of a captain stood on the side, frowning at the sight of his men. The sun was high up in the sky and his men on the training grounds were sweating buckets as they kept up with the harsh training. It was a daily occurrence, he knew but the sun was hotter this day than he remembered.

His attention snapped to one corner of the field, suddenly hearing a thud. He saw one of his men sprawled out on the ground, unconscious. He clicked his tongue, taking this as a sign that it was high time for them to rest. As the men strode by to help the other, he called for a thirty minute break. It was short but he can't afford to be soft. A war is brewing on the southern border and he needed his men on top shape in case they'll be called to participate. War is merciless ground of death. It is not a soft place.

As he himself walked to a shade, he felt a tingle in his back. He stopped on his tracks, scanning the grounds and his surroundings. None of his men seemed to be concentrating much on him; relief obvious on their faces to do so. He followed his instinct, craning to his neck upwards. He found himself looking towards the North Tower. He smirked, seeing the same person who watched them every day with fascinated red eyes.

Noticing his gaze, the boy ducked out of sight, peaking again occasionally. The man chuckled, shaking his head. The boy interested in the art of war, he mused. It will be not much longer before the boy approaches him. He grinned in anticipation, feeling excitement in his veins. To teach the son of the man he respected and pledged his loyalty to, it is the greatest honor to repay his debts. He tore his eyes away from the boy, trudging towards a tree shade.

After all, _**he **_had promised that he will be the one to teach the boy. **O**_**nly **_if the boy approaches him himself.

_Come to me, Prince Akashi Seijurou. I will make you a warrior worthy of an Akashi._

_**Worthy of the blood of the Emperor.**_

Perched on one of the branches of the tree, sky blue eyes glinted.

* * *

If.

A word that starts all doubts and regrets.

If.

Though it was not much serious in Kuroko's case to be honest.

His usual impassive face was conflicted, not like anyone can see that anyway, being invisible and all. After three days, his charge who ought to become a great king in the future—Akashi Seijurou, was bored and tired with his job, having little to do.

"A prince shouldn't dirty his hands doing this. Please leave it to us, Ouji-sama."—would be the frequent answer every time the boy offers help of any kind to the servants; to which the boy also answers stubbornly with "I am a prince! It is my duty to help my subjects!"

Honestly, it warmed Kuroko's heart that he was happy to help his charge in his own simple ways. For example, when Akashi would try to carry things bigger than him (like the pile of books on his table he had stubbornly argued with the maid to put it back himself), Kuroko would lessen the weight of the object. When Akashi would trip, Kuroko would soften his landing. (Much like he always did when the boy was still a baby who would often trip and fall when he tries to stand.)

The 'subjects' also seemed happy to hear the boy speak so proudly of his duty, allowing him to help in return. (Though of course _**not**_ the laborious work. They wouldn't _dare _have their prince do a commoner's work if they still fear for their lives.) Some were still skeptical being the boy's victims of his pranks (or 'human behavior study' as he called it). However as days passed, they started to trust the boy again, seeing him bustling around to help whenever he could or when he was not busy with his instructor.

On the second day, his instructor was out sick for the day and Akashi had helped in a construction that day, leaving some insightful idea for the engineers working on the said construction. When the instructor came back, he had been praised for the said deed. '_For teaching Ouji-sama superbly!' _as they call it.

Naturally, the instructor glowed with pride and had visibly treated the boy better which includes treating the boy with more respect and advancing their lessons further. Though Kuroko was worried it might pressure the boy, the boy didn't seem to mind so he let it slide.

However, after three days, the servants had insisted that the boy take a rest and turned down all his attempts in helping. Naturally, the boy sulked in his room, leading to the current predicament at hand...

"Sei-chan~, you've been cooped in your room for almost half a day now. What's wrong?" the queen cooed outside the prince's room, knocking for some time now.

"Go away, mother…" a muffled voice came from inside.

"No will do, Sei-chan. Not until you tell mother what's wrong~"

"…"

The queen sighed, motioning for the maid to get the keys. The maid obeyed, leaving quietly. Meanwhile, the queen turned back to coaxing the young prince out of his room. Kuroko sighed quietly, turning back to his charge who had covered himself with his bed sheets, making him look like a cocoon.

_They've been at it for an hour now, _he mused.

* * *

The boy was sulking, that much the queen knew. It was a habit her boy acquired when he was 5, locking himself up in his room whenever something upset him.

"Come on, Sei-chan. Mother will listen to everything you will say."

Inside the room, Kuroko considered opening the door magically but refrained from doing so. This is something a mother and a child had to settle, that he knew. And meddling isn't exactly the best thing to do at situations like this…

The maid returned, a few moments later with the key in hand. Strangely, her eyes were glued to the ground after she inserted the key into the keyhole. The queen moved to enter but the maid didn't move from her position. Slowly, the maid turned around, bowing low to the queen.

"Milady, pardon me for speaking without permission but before you go to Ouji-sama's side, I have to confess." The girl spoke quietly. The queen seemed surprised but encouraged the girl to speak. "The past few days, Seijurou-sama has been so helpful to us servants in our daily tasks and we are grateful to him. Surely, you have heard of it, Milady."

"Well, yes, of course. I have heard of it."

"About that, Milady…" The maid bit her lip, "We have been strictly forbidden to let Seijurou-sama help. It is rendering his studies and his duties as a prince we are told."

The queen raised a brow. "To refuse a royalty requires an order. No one can defy the royalty though I surmise that didn't even cross Sei-chan's mind. So tell me," The queen let out a snort, indignant. Her eyes sharpened, gold eyes similar to that of a lioness hunting her prey. The maid shivered. "Did the king decree this order?"

The maidservant nodded her head immediately, "Indeed, Milady."

"Did Seijurou do anything bothersome?"

"Milady?"

"By that, I mean, did Seijurou do anything that spelled out trouble when he helped?"

The maid shook her head. The answer seemed to answer the queen's suspicions and she smiled contently, moving towards the door. Bewildered by her actions, the maid stepped aside, letting her pass. Reaching for the door handle, the queen turned and leaned down to whisper.

"My words are not higher than a king's so I cannot do anything about his decision but let Sei-chan help out…" she winked, "in secret."

She opened the door, making the two occupants look at her.

"Sei-chan~! Do you want to go out for a ride with me?"

* * *

Noonday sunshine could be seen from the sky and not a cloud in sight. The queen hummed to herself, studying the terrain they ended up to. The village they were going to was estimated to be a day ride.. However, Kuroko had never been to this place so he wouldn't have any idea where they should go if ever they got lost. Which he also hoped will never happen.

"The mountain have changed from when I came here last time…" he heard the queen mumble. Kuroko had to give it to her. The bubbly, happy-go-lucky queen is not what her status screams she is. The queen of the strongest kingdom on the continent— one would expect her to be strict and down to earth kind of woman. Not quite… the cheery character. But Kuroko was impressed too though not exactly surprised at the sudden 180 of the queen's character. Those with innocent appearances are at times the most deadly predators after all. She can be serious if she wanted to be and he had full confidence she _might _actually know where they are going. It is a little bit worrying that she didn't bring guards with her but the king let them go, so he assumed she could take care of themselves, one point or another. It's not likely that out of all the thousands of people, they would be the targets of bandits, right?

(Actually, she ditched the guards at the palace, fooling them into believing she was still in her room when she had actually rushed to the stables where little Akashi was waiting and they took off. The king is absolutely livid about the news but they have no way of knowing, right?)

Relieved that the queen finally found the right trail, Kuroko turned his attention towards his charge who had been curiously looking around the past few minutes. Come to think of it, his charge has never been past the walls of the palace. The queen usually took them out for a trip around the town but never actually outside. This would be the first time for the boy to experience Mother Nature.

Suddenly, the redhead perked up, walking past a few bushes. Kuroko raised a brow, following behind. The boy continued to march past the trees, often avoiding branches sticking out and a few tree roots. Finally, a rushing sound of water filled their ears and Kuroko watched as pure joy and awe appeared on his charge's face.

A river.

They found a river.

A rustling of leaves and branches, coupled with a few grunts followed behind them and Kuroko was not surprised when the queen emerged from it, looking a little bit ruffled.

"Sei-chan! I told you to stay—oh" she stopped, looking over the river with astonishment. She grinned, ruffling the boy's hair. "Good job, Sei-chan. Just in time. I'll bring Yukimaru. I expect you to wait here, okay?"

The boy nodded obediently. Meanwhile, the queen disappeared behind the trees again. Akashi watched her for a moment before he grinned. Rolling up the sleeves of his white long sleeved polo shirt, he dipped his hand in the water, crying out softly in delight.

"Uwaa! It's cold!"

Next thing, he removed his boots, rolling up his pants and stepping in the water. Kuroko was slightly worried the boy might get washed away but goodness thing, the boy stayed on the knee depth water. Minutes later, the queen emerged, holding the reins of a white horse she pulled behind her.

"Seijurou!" she shouted, exasperated. Akashi smiled sheepishly. She sighed, "Get out of the water. Winter is already starting though not yet in these parts but the water is cold." She chided. The redhead obeyed obediently albeit a little disappointed. The queen led the horse towards the banks, letting it drink. She smiled slightly when she spotted the pouting boy who seated himself on a rock, watching.

"Maybe next time, Sei-chan." She assured him. The boy beamed.

"Really?"

"Yes."

The boy seemed ready to jump for joy but held himself, only smiling silly. The queen shook her head amusedly. He always seems to try to control his actions and it's making her a little bit sad. Though he still had his childish antics which cheered her up at least.

"Thank you, mother."

"You're welcome, Sei-chan." She turned, rummaging through their bags on the saddle. She took out two water bags. She brought them to the river, watching one of them fill up. "Speaking of winter, isn't your birthday coming up, Sei-chan?" she asked.

"That's still two months away, mother."

"Even so." She took out the other water bag, filling it up. "You're turning eight. You're growing pretty quickly for me, Sei-chan. I'm actually missing your younger days…"

The boy sighed. "You said that a couple of times, mother." He responded, bored.

The queen whirled around, a frown etched on her face. Akashi blinked in surprise, slightly taken aback. "W-What is it, mother? Even if you told me to stop growing, I cannot." He defended. The queen returned the water bags to their bags and walked towards the boy, sitting down next to him.

"I don't mind watching you grow up, Seijurou. But I worry." She wrapped an arm around his shoulders, bringing him closer to her. The boy looked up to her with a questioning look. "You are the crown prince of the strongest kingdom on the continent, Sei. The expectations are high. You'll have to be the perfect prince for you to be the perfect king the people are expecting. For such small shoulders to be bearing it…" she looked down at her son sadly.

"I do not understand, mother. Isn't it supposed to be my duty to help people at the expense of mine?"

The queen frowned at his choice of words but didn't say anything. Instead she replied, "Soon." She brushed his bangs aside, pressing a kiss to his forehead. "Soon." She repeated. "You'll understand soon." Her gaze turned towards Kuroko. Kuroko blinked in surprise but smiled, nodding at the silent request in her eyes. The queen smiled back.

* * *

On cue to their estimated time, they arrived at the village by twilight. All of the villagers were scurrying down to their houses, the others busy lighting up the lantern lights to light up the road. In these parts, snow had already started, piling up on the ground covering it with a cold sheet of white.

Akashi shrugged his red cloak higher up against his neck, shivering slightly from the further drop of temperature as the sun went down. The queen un-mounted from the horse, shaking off bits of snow from her cloak which was futile as the snow kept on falling. Finally, one of the villagers saw them and whispered hurriedly to his companion, who looked at them with wide eyes and proceeded to run to the opposite direction. Kuroko paid no heed to it as he watched the villagers gather around the two royalties. In tandem, they all dropped on one knee—men, women and children.

Coming back from the opposite direction was the man who ran, with him an elderly man, wearing a heavy set of winter clothes. The man immediately fell on his knees as the elder man walked up into the front, bowing to the queen and the young prince. Kuroko sat behind Akashi, taking up the queen's previous place. Flying for the whole day was not troublesome but it was a little bit tiring.

"All hail the queen of Rakuzan Kingdom, Queen Seira." Said the elderly man.

"All hail, the queen." The fellow villagers followed. The queen raised a hand.

"Please, rise. The grounds are cold."

"Thank you, your Highness." The elderly man stood up. The villagers stood up as well, still staring awestruck at the queen. A subtle smile appeared on the queen's lips, observing them.

"If you mind," she spoke up, addressing the people, "I shall be speaking only to Elder Shou. Please resume your activities. Nightfall has come and I am aware you are all busy making preparations for the night."

"But, your Highness," interjected one man, "It is inappropriate for us to neglect our responsibilities as hosts."

"Who says you are?" the queen raised a brow, then patted 'Elder Shou' as she called the elderly man- on the shoulder. "Elder Shou will be with me."

Elder Shou nodded. "I will be speaking to her Highness. Meanwhile, those with time to spare, I want you to inform Milord and Milady about her Highness's arrival."

"Yes sir!"

The crowd dispersed, resuming to their tasks. Kuroko and Akashi curiously watched them, half an ear listening to the queen and the elder's talk.

The elder turned to the queen. "We express our deepest apologies for the lack of preparation in regards to your welcome, your Highness. We were not informed of your visit." He bowed again.

The queen shook her head, smiling. "There is no need to apologize, Elder. It was on my whim that we came today. I will not blame you if you did not receive a word of this." She chuckled, "and we travelled incognito, not much of a trouble."

"If you say so, your Highness." The man's eyes turned to the young prince, studying him. Unconsciously, Akashi gripped the rein under the old man's scrutiny. "I assume this is the young prince, your Highness?"

Akashi dipped his head politely. "Crown Prince Akashi Seijurou." He responded. The elder bowed.

"Shou Makishima at your service, your Highness."

The queen smiled softly, before turning the man's attention back to her again. "I've been meaning to ask, Elder Shou. Is my sister and her husband still living away from the village?"

"Quite so, your Highness." The man sighed, "They insist on living like the rest of us and found themselves a house in the woods. Currently, they have a small boy living with them there now. Born in the same year as the young prince."

The queen smiled at the news. "I see." Her smile softened, replaced by an almost serene expression. The elder was puzzled at her actions.

"Are you upset, your Highness?"

The queen shook her head. "Should I be?" she asked quietly. Akashi who was watching their exchange found it strangely uncharacteristic of his mother to be this quiet. She was usually bubbly and a little bit dramatic but never… _quiet _like this. Naturally, he wanted to ask but knew it was rude to interrupt, especially to an adult's conversation.

Elder Shou seemed to understand and smiled. "Chizuru-sama and Mayuzumi-sama are excellent rulers, your Highness. They value and protect the people. Even stepping down to live like us, insisting that that way, they will be able to understand us. Truly, they are wonderful, your Highness."

The queen smiled back. "Of course. As I would expect from my sister and brother-in law."

A horse came trotting towards them and they looked up to the new face that came into view. A woman in her mid-twenties was mounted on an equally white horse similar to the one Akashi and Kuroko are currently mounted on, coming to a stop in front of them. Her hair was almost as white as the snow on the ground but leant more towards the color gray. Her golden eyes—reminiscent to that of the queen's, reflected surprise, disbelief and joy.

"Onee-sama!" she cried out. The queen waved at her happily. As soon as the woman got down from her horse, the queen came barreling towards her, enveloping her in a crushing hug.

"Chi-chan~!"

The woman caught herself, planting a foot behind her in time, successfully stopping them from falling onto the snow. But she didn't count the slippery grounds and slipped, coming down with the red haired woman laughing. "Onee-sama…" the woman said, exasperatedly. On the side, Akashi sighed.

'_Mother will always be mother…'_

Diverting his attention away from the two women, his eyes landed on a boy on the horse opposite them, having the same hair color as the woman his mother was speaking to. Red eyes met gray. Akashi blinked. Was that boy there since the beginning?

The boy returned his gaze and Akashi felt his curiosity rise at blank expression the child wore. He cleared his throat. "I am the Crown Prince Akashi Seijurou." He introduced. "And you are?"

"Mayuzumi Chihiro, your Hignhess." The boy answered. His eyes glossed over Akashi, meeting sky blue eyes behind him. "And who is the Onii-san behind you?"

* * *

**A/N:**

**Finally finished! I hope i can finish next chapter soon. Thank you for reading~ If there are any questions you want to ask, please don't hesitate to PM me or ask in your reviews.**

**Itterashai masse~!**


	4. Chapter 4: Seeing Angel Part 2

**A/N: Hello~! I hope I'm not late in the monthly update! Here's chapter 4.**

**Enjoy~!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroko no Basuke**

* * *

**_"The question is not what you look at, but what you see."_**

**_\- Henry David Thoreau_**

* * *

_Previously…_

_Diverting his attention away from the two women, his eyes landed on a boy on the horse opposite them, having the same hair color as the woman his mother was speaking to. Red eyes met gray. Akashi blinked. Was that boy there since the beginning?_

_The boy returned his gaze and Akashi felt his curiosity rise at blank expression the child wore. He cleared his throat. "I am the Crown Prince Akashi Seijurou." He introduced. "And you are?"_

_"Mayuzumi Chihiro, your Highness." The boy answered. His eyes glossed over Akashi, meeting sky blue eyes behind him. "And who is the Onii-san behind you?"_

* * *

**Chapter 4: Seeing Angel Part two**

If the child was playing a joke, he would have certainly won his purpose. Or so, Akashi thought as he looked over his shoulder, searching for the said 'Onii-san'. Behind him though—

…was an empty space.

Certainly, the gray haired child wouldn't be referring to any of the villagers. There was only a woman and a child across the road behind him. No individual that would fit in the description of an 'Onii-san' in sight. He turned to Mayuzumi, annoyed that he'd been somewhat upped in a joke so simple. (And on their first meeting nonetheless…)

"I see no one there."

He expected a laugh or two, thinking that he'd been taken for a fool for falling for such a low joke but the gray haired child only frowned, looking past him again. This made him confused as the child seemed to be transfixed on something _**behind **_him before he turned his gaze to him.

"I apologize, your Highness. It must have been the snow playing tricks on my eyes." The boy apologized. Akashi quirked an elegant brow, searching for faults in this…unexpected apology. The boy might as well still be playing his joke and as much as Akashi liked pranks, having to taste his own medicine leaves a bad taste in his mouth. He made a mental note to apologize afterwards (much to Kuroko's secret pleasure) especially to his tutor who had been the most frequent victim of this 'human behavior study' a.k.a pranks.

Regretfully, even when he tried to find much though, he found no sign from the child's _blank _expression. He accepted the apology with a nod, reluctantly tearing his eyes away from the child. He looked back again (just in case) but was welcomed with the empty space. Really. He should have known better. He shrugged, directing his attention instead towards his rather energetic mother again who was lying on the ground with the woman whom she more or less tackled a while ago.

"Mother, I think you should let the kind lady go. The grounds are cold…"

* * *

He was there, sitting inconspicuously behind the red haired prince. Sky blue hair with matching sky blue eyes— he was impossible to miss. Not to mention the…_off _aura around the individual that screamed he wasn't just someone.

_(Similar to them.)_

But the prince didn't see him though.

He should have known, he thought wryly as a soft sigh escaped his lips.

_**He **_was one of those individuals.

He wasn't surprised when it took a moment for the prince to find **who **he was referring to and utter the next words he had been accustomed to hear since a while now...

"I see no one there."

Ignoring the confused look the prince gave him, he stared at the icy blue eyes of the angel, frowning. He has yet to see _one of them_ at close proximity and it slightly gave him the chills when he met the icy blue eyes observing him. A glint passed through those eyes while the angel slowly brought a finger to his lips, asking to be silent. Mayuzumi silently complied, knowing the prince probably wouldn't believe him at this point.

"I apologize, your Highness. It must have been the snow playing tricks on my eyes." He said instead. The child's eyes fluttered to his face, trying to find faults in his apology. He must have thought he was playing a trick on him, similar to the people he had tried to point out to—may it be adult or child. Those _invisible beings _that no normal human should see hanging around them….

Mayuzumi already wiped his face off emotions.

On some level though, he was impressed. A noble child would have probably sniffed in disdain, especially a royalty and went on to rant on how dare he play a trick on someone as _noble (_he rolled his eyes) as his being and had him punished. A commoner's child would laugh but would dub him as weird and possibly insult him for it at a later date (especially bullies). And an adult would just laugh and tell him it's not nice to play jokes on people.

But a look in those red eyes screamed… _**demanded**_ the absolute truth in them. The child didn't even seem to be aware of it either which was unnerving in his perspective. It's not every day that he meets someone with red eyes who could possibly look intimidating without being aware of it.

_So this is the prince…_he mused. If he had been really playing a joke, he would have won but didn't probably survive with his head intact.

…Which was not a thought for a seven year old even anyway if it was a prince (except maybe for some presumptuous children who had the gall to do so). So he'll probably just get away with a punishment in the very least…

The prince however only nodded, finally drawing his eyes away from him, and shifted his gaze to the queen and his mother on the ground. He ignored the icy blue eyes that stared at him as he watched the redhead call out to the queen.

Mayuzumi undoubtedly was curious now.

The queen chuckled, pulling herself together under the boy's reminder. Both women stood up from the ground, brushing the snow from their cloaks and Mayuzumi watched as his mother zeroed in the appearance of the young prince. The boy politely introduced himself whilst his mother curtsied.

"You have your mother's hair but your father's eyes…" his mother observed, "No matter. I am Mayuzumi Chizuru, my prince. Your mother, Queen Seira's, sister."

Silence hung in the air as the prince gave them unbelieving, surprised and name it— shocked looks. The queen giggled, confirming what her sister said. The prince blinked, regarding Mayuzumi's mother with disbelief still written on his face. "Auntie?"

Mayuzumi Chizuru chuckled, lifting a hand to her chest. "Indeed, I am, Seijurou-kun. I am honored to meet my nephew yet abashed that I am greeting you in this attire unsuitable for royalty. However, I hope you don't mind." She smiled.

Akashi stared in muted awe before he blinked, seemingly remembering something before he turned to the gray haired child watching him. "And I suppose you are my cousin?"

Mayuzumi answered him with an amused smile. "It may seem so, your Highness."

* * *

After the initial shock of the events which hung on the prince only as he took in the unexpected news, (Mayuzumi was not that shocked for he had already known of his heritage.) the four left the village shortly, biding the elder and the villagers goodnight as they rode to the Mayuzumi's dwelling. The two women began to chatter on the way whilst leaving the children who sat in front, listening— or at least in the red haired prince's case.

"So you say that Chihiro-kun is not seven but supposed to be ten year old this year?" the queen asked, surprised.

"It is as you say, Onee-sama." Chizuru answered. "It took us three years before we decided to show Chihiro to the village. He was 3 years old at that time of course but he was very small. You should know how when words get passed around, they change over the time. So it is not uncommon for the village to think that Chihiro is seven." She further explained.

"And you did not bother correcting them?"

The older Mayuzumi shook her head with an amused smile. "Do you think I did not? I tried a couple of times but it cannot exactly change what is already done." She said.

The queen hummed in response, a little disappointed but understanding in that sense. The said subject of the conversation however wasn't listening, transfixed on something above them. One would assume he would be looking at the stars or something of the like but what caught his attention was something _more _interesting than that.

Between the darkness of the young night and the light the torch provided, one thing stood out.

The wings of a certain angel.

They were broad and plush, feathery with softly scalloped edges like the ones in the church. The inside of the blue haired angel's wings were glowing with bluish iridescence and Mayuzumi saw the glittering light falling around them like confetti as he hovered above them as if shielding them from snow. They glowed, casting shifting opalescent light on them, similar to a full moon's light and a mirror's reflected light.

"Chihiro?"

As if hearing a distant clap, the entrancing spell casted over him had been broken. Mayuzumi found himself staring back at a pair of gold eyes. He blinked. Catching something in his eyes however, a small smile appeared on his mother's lips, understanding something. He blinked again, looking down. He never really understood how she understood from his eyes but that's how she always was…

"Saw something nice?" she asked, still smiling.

Mayuzumi nodded, sparing the wings one last look before he faced front again with a small smile on his face.

They're beautiful… beautiful he wished someone else would look harder…

…

The queen looked upward, icy blue eyes meeting gold. A smile bloomed on her lips. Akashi, meanwhile took no notice of any of these. Pity, he would have been able to see it at that moment.

But he did not look up.

Above them, Kuroko's wings beat softly.

* * *

A frosted lake lay before them as they dismounted from the horses. The Mayuzumis as it turned out had built their house near a lake which would have been beautiful given that they came here in summer instead of winter. But let bygones be bygones. Kuroko noticed from his view above even without the aid of a light, across the lake was a perfect view of the village. A normal person would have trouble seeing it without the help of a telescope but still, it was a good spot for one governing the land. As the older Mayuzumi led the horses to the stables, the young boy led the two royalties inside the 'homey' house. Fairly simple on the outside but Kuroko knew better than to judge so early.

He floated down to the icy ground, slowly tucking in his wings as he felt them vanish into his skin. He turned his attention once more towards the house. Two windows in the front and likewise up the second floor— A porch and as expected, a telescope turned towards the direction of the village. Slowly, Kuroko climbed the wooden steps, his eyes turned towards the window in what seems to be the living room where he could see his charge staring at his surroundings in wonder. To the side, as expected too, the queen gushing over…_things. _Kuroko shook his head with a smile, entering inside.

Kuroko followed them as the child gave them a tour around the house. The living room, the kitchen, the dining room, two bedrooms, the porch, the bathroom and the guestroom— around the house indeed: No spot missed. But it was fairly decent one. Halfway through the tour, Kuroko noticed the gray haired woman enter the main door. He stood still, waiting to see any reaction from the woman. He watched as the gray haired woman removed her boots, stacking them near the three boots in the corner. Removing her cloak, she hung it next to the cloaks— two mini cloaks and two adult cloaks including hers. She smiled, as if the sight amused her somehow. Kuroko waited for her to notice him without taking off his invisibility…

– but the woman passed through him.

Make no mistake. It was right through him.

Kuroko followed her with his gaze, his suspicions confirmed. A second later, he followed her towards the living room, where minutes later they all gathered after the tour (which was approximately 30 minutes). Chizuru called them to the dining room, not far away from the kitchen after dinner has been served.

* * *

At the age of five, Akashi had been finally allowed to attend the morning and evening meals with the King and the Queen at the Dining Hall. Custom decreed that the King should sit at the head of the table, the heir to the throne to his right and the Queen at the foot of the table. Only at tea time in the garden do they all sit together without a very long table between. But those times are limited in a sense that a king should be reading petitions in his office instead of taking time for tea.

At times where they eat at the Dining Hall, the Queen always coached the young prince carefully on how he should behave until he turned 6 years old. During that time, they frequently practiced table etiquette in the queen's room when she hosted tea parties with a few princesses and noble ladies. After all, an Akashi should show up well-mannered and behaved as the heir to the throne that had been handed down for thousands of years.

So when Akashi stared at the table only long enough to accommodate five people at most, unlike the long table he was accustomed to, he could only follow his mother lead—unsure. There were no seating arrangements where the nobles should be arranged and the like. He was free to sit anywhere he liked, except of course the seat of the head of the family which was vacated only for the person himself to sit. However, he seemed to be absent at the moment.

And as Akashi sat at his mother's side, he could only stare at her, unsure of what to do. The queen smiled at him gently, patting his head.

"Do not be so stiff, Sei-chan~! It's okay. Just for this temporary vacation, I'll let you forget my teaching. Relax, dear."

Akashi could only hesitantly nod.

The table utensils they used consisted of wood, unlike the golden and silverwares he was yet again accustomed to, slightly putting him off. But as long as they served the same purpose, it was of little consequence. (Given that he just stared at it for a long time before he felt his own mother looking at him and slowly, he was forced to use them.) The food was not that extravagant either compared to the dishes the royal cooks usually made. But somehow, they were delicious in their own way. (On a side note, maybe he should ask his auntie for details later and have the royal cook make it personally for him. It was really good.)

The table was filled with chatter too unlike the silence he was accustomed to. Even if it was only his mother and auntie that filled it with chatter and occasionally pulled the two children into the conversation. But the younger Mayuzumi has proven himself to be rather a quiet individual and while Akashi liked to chat, he was more interested in listening to his mother's 'young days' as they put it.

Dinner ended shortly. But the two women had yet to end their conversation there. They haven't seen each other in roughly 10 years from what Akashi gathered in the conversation and the two had much to share apparently.

And so— the sleeping arrangements have been made.

The man of the house wouldn't be home until tomorrow morning and this has given the sisters a leeway to sleep together and shoo the boys into Mayuzumi's room. The perfect excuse for this as per their words: "Women's talk will just bore you children! Why not try to get to know each other instead~? I'm sure that is more productive!"

Mayuzumi for one thing didn't seem bothered by this while Akashi on the other hand was wary as a child could be in the company of a stranger. But he didn't dare rebut the excuse, seeing his mother was so happy to be with her sister.

— That didn't mean though that he didn't try to use his_ legendary_ puppy eyes to change her mind in the first place because while he didn't abhor his 'cousin's' presence (which was close to nonexistent that he almost wouldn't notice him most of the time and to be honest, it was like staying with a ghost), he wasn't exactly comfortable with it either. Unfortunately, the queen was one of the few who could resist his last resort tactic.

So now, he stood at the doorway of the older boy's room in his pajama glory while the said owner of the room set the candle on the bedside table and went to close the curtains. It was a fairly simple room with its own basic furniture consisting of a bed, wardrobe, table, chair and a bookshelf which was beginning to be filled with books. That of course left him with the impression that his cousin liked to read.

"Your Highness."

His attention was returned to the said boy who was already in the bed in his own pajama glory, waiting for him. Akashi closed the door behind him, gingerly scanning the room once more before climbing the bed after the boy. While the bed wasn't exactly soft as his bed back in the palace, the soft and fluffy blanket thick enough to ward off the cold for the night compensated for it. As he eased himself under the covers, he threw a look towards his cousin who seemed to be all set to go to dreamland with his nightcap on.

"Why the formalities when you can just call me by my name, given that you are my cousin?" he couldn't help but ask. With their conversations so far no matter how brief it is, he always called him 'your Highness'. The gray haired child looked at him blankly as if the answer is obvious itself.

"Why? — you ask, your Highness? It is fairly simple as saying that a commoner should give respect to the royalty." Mayuzumi answered in all simplicity. At this, Akashi couldn't help but be puzzled. While it sounded sarcastic to him, at the same time it was not.

"But you are my cousin with royal blood in your veins. You're not a commoner." The redhead said, confused.

"But I am, just the same." Mayuzumi rebutted. "My blood will have claim to the throne of my mother's country but that is fairly impossible." The gray haired child admitted, letting out a small yawn in the process.

"And why is that?" Akashi asked. After all, the idea of having the right to claim the throne yet impossible is quite… _strange._

Mayuzumi thought about it for a moment before he answered. "I think I must restate my answer, your Highness. To put it simply, I have no throne to claim for my mother's country has long been absorbed by the kingdom of Rakuzan since it fell." The child looked at him blankly. "…though I doubt you'd understand this at your age, your Highness."

"…I'm not stupid, Chihiro-kun if that is what you are insinuating." Akashi frowned. "I understand perfectly."

Mayuzumi looked at him in mild interest before closing his eyes. "If you must insist that I drop the formalities, call me 'Chihiro-nii' or 'nii-san' or whatever you like. Respect is given only when respect is given in return, _your Highness._"

Akashi huffed, throwing him a dark look before pointedly glaring at the ceiling as he turned away from the older boy. "So that's why I get the feeling you were mocking me every time you call me 'your Highness' …" he muttered, giving a brief pause before speaking again. "C-Chihiro-nii-san…"

…

Mayuzumi cracked an amused smile. He expected the boy to be stubborn in keeping his authority like a brat but he was smart. _Fine_ in his book even.

The said prince however, slowly went deeper into the covers, hiding his embarrassed face from view.

"Don't expect me to call you that at all times though. I don't have a sibling and I don't know how to treat one." His muffled voice came from underneath. Mayuzumi let out a snort of amusement.

"Of course…Seijurou-kun."

* * *

Mayuzumi of course, since his mother called out to him and asked him to sleep with his cousin for the night, had been perturbed in the least. Not to add the fact that the angel following them around was his current interest, but he was also interested in his 'cousin' who had this angel by his side without him knowing. It almost seem comical to him had he seen this for the first time but he had seen this numerous times before.

But those angels were at least a very far distance away (like the roof for an example). This one however seemed to follow the red haired prince like a _real guard_ for once with a fair distance that is 'unseen yet can see' method. He stayed out of the way most of the time and was often only viewing from a far or occasionally just leaning on the wall.

(He noticed how the sky blue haired angel seemed to be drawn to the bookshelf in the living room at times though but looked like he was restraining himself on the process. On random, Mayuzumi wondered if by chance he catches him carrying a book, people will see a floating book in place…)

And even in their room, the angel casually leaned on the table beside the bed near the prince. Whatever the effect the being had by being at a closer distance seemed to calm the redhead who was by what he knew, uncomfortable with him before. After the amusing conversation, the prince who had dug himself in the covers, emerged again after a while and gave him a look before he turned on his side, his back against him. Mayuzumi, who had his eyes closed at that time, cracked an eye open before he turned on his side, watching the sky blue haired angel stroke the boy's hair. Moments later, the prince sound breathing filled the room.

He stared for a while before finally; he felt his curiosity reach at its peak.

"Who are you?" he whispered softly, looking at the angel.

"I'm Kuroko Tetsuya— Akashi-kun's guardian angel. Nice to meet you, Mayuzumi-kun." The guardian angel said, giving a small bow.

Mayuzumi sat up from the bed, giving a small dip of his head towards the angel himself. Human or not, he doesn't forget his manners. "Mayuzumi Chihiro, as you already know, Kuroko-san." He met his eyes again. "And to be blunt, I'd rather say it's unexpected to meet you."

A ghost of a smile touched the angel's lips as he answered. "I am aware and I admit I feel the same, Mayuzumi-kun."

-end of chapter-

* * *

**A/N:**

**Whew! Finally done with this... Face off of the two sixth men! Haha. **

**I intended to make the chapter longer but I'm kind of busy at the moment. And to those who were asking, this is indeed Akakuro but with a guardian-charge relationship only. And I'm not going to change my mind over that. Romantic touches in the future? Hmm... I dunno. Haha.**

**Are the characters too OOC? Was the OC - Mayuzumi Chizuru - alright?**

**Over all, was the chapter alright-desu?**

**Please tell me your thoughts~! Criticisms are welcome! **

**Thank you for reading.**

**Itterashai masse~!**


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